Financial freedom starts with the daily intelligence system!

10:15 am.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class slowly pulled up in front of a three-story detached villa in the Dongcheng District.

The rear doors opened, and Jiang Tao and Qiu Lizhen got out of the car from either side.

Looking at the villa in front of him, Jiang Tao couldn't help but admire how low-key Sister Qiu really was!
Through the information he had previously obtained that Qiu Lizhen's best friend wanted to swindle her money, Jiang Tao knew that Qiu Lizhen was very rich.

But I never expected that this Sister Qiu was so rich!
This is the heart of the capital city, where land is incredibly valuable!

A villa like this must cost at least 60 or 70 million, right?

Who would have thought that the owner of such a small lottery shop was actually a wealthy woman living in a villa worth 60 or 70 million?

"Sister Qiu, your dad isn't the director of the lottery center, is he?"

Jiang Tao looked at Qiu Lizhen and jokingly said something with a smile.

"Hehe, if my dad were the director, our family would be a wealthy family by now."

"Let's go, we're already at our doorstep, let's go in and sit down and get familiar with the place."

"I really have to thank you today. If it weren't for you, I might have already reunited with my parents."

Qiu Lizhen laughed heartily and gestured to Jiang Tao to come in and sit down.

What happened at the lottery shop today didn't have as much of an impact on Qiu Lizhen as Jiang Tao had imagined.

She has a carefree and easygoing personality, and doesn't take things to heart.

After two hours of calming down, the fear in my heart had almost completely subsided.

"I have to go inside and have a look. I don't know when I'll be able to live in a mansion like this in my lifetime."

Jiang Tao smiled and said something, then followed Qiu Lizhen toward the villa's main entrance.

drip-

After Qiu Lizhen scanned her face in front of the electronic lock screen at the entrance, the villa's door slowly opened.

Inside the villa, an aunt wearing an apron hurried to the door.

"Miss Qiu, you're back."

As the aunt stopped in front of Qiu Lizhen and Jiang Tao to greet them, she also looked at Jiang Tao with great curiosity.

This was the first time Qiu Lizhen had brought a man home.

Moreover, this man not only has a great physique, but he's also incredibly handsome.

The aunt immediately felt that Jiang Tao and her Miss Qiu were a perfect match.

“Aunt Li, this is Jiang Tao, my best friend.”

"Go to the basement and bring up the jar of tea that my friend brought back from Yunnan."

"And bring me some tea and snacks as well."

"Yes, miss! Please wait a moment."

After Li Ma smiled and agreed, she turned and walked towards the left side of the villa.

She was even more certain of the relationship between her young mistress and the man she had brought back.

That can of tea is said to cost over 200,000 yuan per ounce, which is outrageously expensive.

Friends who are served such expensive tea, can they be ordinary friends?

"Let's go, Jiang Tao. Let's go to the tea room on the third floor first. Aunt Li works very quickly."

After calling out to Jiang Tao, Qiu Lizhen turned around and continued to lead the way.

"it is good."

Jiang Tao followed closely behind Qiu Lizhen as they entered the villa through the main entrance.

Upon entering the villa, Jiang Tao was astonished by its luxurious interior design.

The soft, high-quality cashmere carpet underfoot almost completely absorbed the sound of footsteps.

The living room features a high ceiling, making it feel exceptionally spacious, and the huge crystal chandelier reflects a soft, shimmering light even during the day.

Several ink paintings with profound artistic conception hang on the wall, and some porcelain and small ornaments with indeterminate age but a sense of history are displayed on the antique shelves.

The air was filled with a faint, pleasant scent of sandalwood mixed with the aroma of books, a stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere of the lottery shop.

It's quiet and elegant here, even with a touch of solitary tranquility.

"Sister Qiu, how much did it cost to renovate your villa?"

As Jiang Tao followed behind Qiu Lizhen, he asked with a curious expression.

As Qiu Lizhen walked, she said, "The renovation cost about 3000 million. I entrusted the entire process to my friend. I only had to pay for it."

"The renovation alone cost over 3000 million yuan, Sister Qiu is really capable!"

Jiang Tao sighed inwardly once again, thinking how many wealthy people there really were in the capital!
With over 3000 million yuan, he would definitely be among the top ten richest people in his hometown of Ping County.

Qiu Lizhen spent more than 3000 million yuan on renovations alone.

The price of this house will probably be higher than I expected!
Seventy or eighty million is a very conservative estimate; it could easily exceed one hundred million!
"What ability do I have? I'm just an ordinary girl from Beijing, everything I have is what my parents left me."

The two walked and talked, then entered the elevator on the first floor and took it to the top floor, the third floor.

The third floor was designed by Qiu Lizhen as her own leisure, entertainment, and daily exercise area.

The tea room alone is over 50 square meters in size, and it is surrounded by one-way privacy glass.

Sitting in the tea room, you can see the surrounding scenery of the villa, but you can't see inside from the outside.

Qiu Lizhen led Jiang Tao to the tea table in the tea room.

This tea tray is carved from a single, massive piece of ebony root, with a warm, smooth texture and picturesque grain.

A set of purple clay teaware, which looks quite valuable, is neatly arranged on top. It is smooth and lustrous, obviously having been frequently handled and maintained.

Less than five minutes after the two sat down inside, the nanny, whom Qiu Lizhen called Aunt Li, brought Qiu Lizhen's can of tea and some snacks to the tea room.

While waiting, Qiu Lizhen boiled the water.

The kettle was bubbling and steaming.

Qiu Lizhen took out a tea cake, which was only the size of a palm and was neatly wrapped in cotton paper, from an exquisite sandalwood box brought by Li Ma.

She carefully took out a piece, unwrapped the cotton paper, and revealed a tea cake with a dark, lustrous color and visible golden tips.

"This is one of my most treasured possessions."

As Qiu Lizhen skillfully pried the tea leaves with a tea needle, she spoke to Jiang Tao with a hint of pride in sharing a precious treasure:

"Some of these are old Ban Zhang ancient tree Pu'er raw teas. My friend went through a lot of trouble to acquire them, and I've never been willing to drink them much myself."

Jiang Tao didn't know much about tea ceremony, but he could still sense Qiu Lizhen's emphasis on this tea cake.

He watched as the brownish-gold tea leaves were gently stirred into the warm purple clay teapot, and a faint, mellow aroma carrying the scent of the mountains seemed to waft through the air.

Boiling spring water pours high into the pot, and the tea leaves tumble and unfurl in the rushing water, as if they have been infused with life.

Qiu Lizhen's movements were fluid and elegant as she washed, awakened, and brewed the tea...

Every step she took was imbued with a ritualistic beauty.

She poured the first brew of tea into the tea pitcher but did not drink it, saying it was to awaken the tea leaves and moisten the teaware.

Starting from the second infusion, the bright orange-yellow tea liquor is poured into the small white porcelain teacup.

The soup was as pure as amber, or like aged whiskey, gleaming alluringly in the sunlight.

"Here, have a taste." Qiu Lizhen pushed a cup of tea in front of Jiang Tao, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Jiang Tao picked up the small teacup, its surface warm to the touch.

He first leaned closer to smell it, and an extremely rich and complex fragrance immediately entered his nostrils.

This is more than just the aroma of ordinary tea.

It also carries a wild, honey-orchid fragrance, a calm, aged aroma, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sweetness reminiscent of dried dates. The rich layers of aroma are refreshing and invigorating.

Jiang Tao took a small sip; the tea initially had a perfectly balanced slight astringency.

But it melts instantly in the mouth, transforming into a surging, extremely mellow and lingering sweetness.

The sweet taste seemed to have a life of its own.

It flows continuously from the sides of the tongue and deep into the throat, accompanied by a strong sensation of saliva production, filling the entire mouth with that sweetness and refreshing feeling.

In the throat, one can feel a deep, cool sensation, commonly known as "throat resonance," which is exceptionally pleasant.

"How's the taste?"

Qiu Lizhen looked at Jiang Tao with a smile, just like an elder sister looking at her doting younger brother.

Jiang Tao laughed and said, "To be honest, Sister Qiu, I rarely drink tea and know nothing about it. If I had to give my opinion, it would be just two words: delicious."

"Hehehe~ You're not pretending at all."

Qiu Lizhen was amused by Jiang Tao's honest answer and laughed heartily, her chest heaving.

"Good Pu'er tea, especially good raw Pu'er tea, is all about the layers of 'bitterness followed by sweetness' and the strong aftertaste and throat feel."

"This Lao Ban Zhang tea has a profound history and a strong aroma, just like a person with a story."

"At first glance, it may seem a bit jarring, but after getting to know it better, you can appreciate its mellowness and charm."

Qiu Lizhen's words also seemed to carry some of her insights into life.

As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, the atmosphere between the two became more relaxed and harmonious.

They talked about how they first met at the lottery shop.

They talked about how Qiu Lizhen admired Jiang Tao when she first saw his "heroic act" on Kuaishou and Douyin.

She also noticed Jiang Tao that day.

You could say that I met Jiang Tao from that day.

“Little brother, you saved a supermarket employee from a madman’s knife last time, and this time you saved your sister from a madman’s knife again.”

Do you think we're destined to be together?

Qiu Lizhen put down her teacup and looked at Jiang Tao with a smile, growing more and more fond of him the more she looked at him.

Jiang Tao smiled and said, "To meet and get to know each other among more than 20 million people in the capital city, it is truly a deep connection between me and Sister Qiu."

"No, it's different. You give me a different feeling than other people I know."

Qiu Lizhen looked up at Jiang Tao, her gaze becoming serious and somewhat complicated, a hint of vulnerability appearing beneath her previous cheerful demeanor.

"Little Jiang, on the way back, I've been thinking about something."

"Yes, Sister Qiu, just tell me. If there's anything I can do to help, I definitely will."

Jiang Tao put down his teacup and replied with a very serious expression.

Jiang Tao has always had a good impression of Qiu Lizhen, who is like an older sister to him, and has come to regard her as a friend.

When a friend runs into trouble, Jiang Tao is always willing to lend a hand within his own capabilities.

"Although my parents passed away early, they left me a lot of things, including a house and savings, enough to ensure I'll be well-off for the rest of my life."

“I’m a straightforward person, and I’m probably not very good at dealing with people. My relatives used to see that I was alone and had some savings, so they would always find ways to borrow money from me. They called it borrowing, but it was more like asking for money. I’ve never seen them pay it back.”

“At first, I was thinking about family ties and helped them whenever I could. But later I realized that they weren’t genuinely kind to me; they were just using me as an ATM.”

Qiu Lizhen's tone carried a mixture of bitterness and relief:
"Gradually, I became disheartened and slowly cut off contact with those relatives."

"It's peaceful now, and I've kept my money, but I don't even have any family left."

"Sometimes I feel lonely when I see other families reunited during holidays."

Qiu Lizhen looked at Jiang Tao with gentle and sincere eyes, and said softly with a smile:

"I don't know why, but I just feel a special connection with you."

“Especially since you saved my life this time, I feel not only gratitude, but also a kind of… indescribable closeness.”

Qiu Lizhen took a deep breath and finally revealed her core idea:
"So, I was thinking, Xiao Jiang, if you're willing, I'd like to recognize you as my godbrother."

"From now on, you'll be my younger brother, Qiu Lizhen, and I'll be your older sister. What do you think...?"

After Qiu Lizhen finished speaking, she looked at Jiang Tao with a somewhat nervous expression, waiting for his response.

"Uh……"

To be honest, Jiang Tao was a little confused after hearing Qiu Lizhen's words.

He truly hadn't expected Qiu Lizhen to make such a request.

Sworn siblings?

This seems to be something from a long time ago, something with a very江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) feel.

But looking into Qiu Lizhen's eyes, which were full of sincerity and expectation, and even a hint of loneliness,...

Jiang Tao's most tender spot was touched.

Moreover, Jiang Tao only has one older brother and one younger sister in his family, no older sisters.

When he was little, he secretly envied his classmates who had older sisters who doted on them and protected them.

Sometimes I think, how wonderful it would be if my older brother were my older sister instead, then I would get beaten up much less.

For him, the word "older sister" represents a kind of warmth that he can rely on, confide in, and be unconditionally protected by.

He also quite liked Qiu Lizhen's straightforward, generous, and unpretentious personality.

I felt very comfortable and at ease every time I spent with her.

Now, this woman, as warm and passionate as the sun and experienced in the ways of the world, has offered to be his older sister, to fill the void of sibling affection in his life.

For Jiang Tao, isn't this a dream come true?
Without much hesitation, Jiang Tao's face broke into a bright and sincere smile, a smile that came from the bottom of his heart, a smile of acceptance and joy.

He nodded vigorously, his voice clear and firm:
"sister!"

That one word instantly dispelled all the tension and uncertainty in Qiu Lizhen's eyes, and a huge joy and excitement welled up in her heart, her eyes even becoming slightly moist.

"Good! Good! Good brother!"

Qiu Lizhen said "good" three times in a row, stood up excitedly, walked to Jiang Tao's side, patted his shoulder hard, and her voice was choked with emotion.

"I knew it! I knew we were meant to be!"

Qiu Lizhen turned her head towards the door and shouted loudly:
"Li Ma! Quick! Go find that bronze incense burner that Dad used to collect, and some of the finest sandalwood incense, get them ready!"

"Okay, Ms. Qiu."

After Li Ma outside the door agreed, she immediately began preparing the things Qiu Lizhen wanted.

A short while later, Li Ma brought over an antique-style bronze Xuande incense burner, polished until it gleamed, and also brought over a box of high-quality sandalwood.

Qiu Lizhen personally placed the incense burner on the long table in the main hall of the living room and lit three sticks of sandalwood incense.

Wisps of smoke rose, carrying a calming fragrance that slowly permeated the spacious living room.

She pulled Jiang Tao along, and they stood side by side in front of the incense burner.

Although there were no formalities, the atmosphere naturally became solemn.

Qiu Lizhen spoke first, her voice clear and solemn:
"Heaven above, earth below. Today, I, Qiu Lizhen, wish to become sworn siblings with Jiang Tao."

"From this day forward, we will share both good times and bad! We will treat each other like brothers and sisters and never betray each other!"

After she finished speaking, she bowed deeply three times and then inserted the incense sticks into the incense burner.

Although it was a little awkward, Jiang Tao followed suit and recited the oath once, then inserted the incense stick in his hand into the incense burner.

After the ceremony, the two officially became sworn siblings, and their relationship grew even closer. (End of Chapter)